Women in Timber: Camilla Fish

In a new series of articles for Women in Timber, we highlight the career paths of women across the timber industry.

Each Q&A will share their experiences, pivotal moments and achievements, and insights into their roles, and celebrating the valuable contribution women continue to make within this sector.

This article introduces Camilla Fish, Managing Director of SCA Products UK.

“I wanted to share a bit about my journey into the timber industry, mainly because I hope it might spark some ideas about what’s possible when we rethink how we approach recruitment, training, and leadership.

“Before joining SCA, I was working in the world of concrete; selling slabs, steps, kerbs, and other similarly glamorous products. I was ready for a new challenge when a colleague sent me a job advert they’d seen on LinkedIn. It said: “Amazing opportunity – fast track to Managing Director for a leading European timber supplier – no timber experience necessary.”

“It sounded too good to be true. But I followed up, and after speaking to the recruiter, I found myself invited to a first-stage interview.

“That’s where I met Stephen King, the then-MD of SCA UK. He explained the situation: after 23 years at the company, most of that in senior leadership, he was looking to step back. But he also recognised a major issue in the industry; succession planning, or rather, the lack of it.

“He took an idea to our head office in Sweden: hire someone early in their career, train them thoroughly, and providing they proved capable, hand over the reins. The Swedish team supported the idea, with just one key condition: that the shortlist for first-stage interviews had to include an equal number of men and women.

“Stephen laid it all out clearly. This was a genuine opportunity, but nothing was guaranteed. The role of MD would be earned, not handed over. I left that first interview thinking I didn’t stand a chance. Surely other candidates had more experience, better knowledge, stronger backgrounds. I went into the process aiming to learn as much as I could. I was honest in every stage—about what I didn’t know, about my limited management experience, and about my only exposure to timber being that it was hard to get (and very expensive) during COVID. But, to my surprise, I kept progressing through the interview stages, and ultimately was offered the role. I took the job and started with SCA in January 2022.

“What followed was a comprehensive two-year training plan. I visited all of SCA’s sawmills, worked alongside the grading team, shadowed production planning and sales, and even spent time with the forestry teams and at the SCA nursery looking at seedlings. I worked with our Logistics and Finance teams, and even spent time with our international colleagues to understand how we fit into the global timber picture.

“I also completed external training at the Cambridge Judge Business School, covering topics like sales strategy, management, and financial reporting.

“Yes, two years is a long time to train someone. But it gave me the chance to build relationships – with the UK team, with our Swedish colleagues, and crucially, with customers. Everyone knew I was coming in as a potential successor to Stephen, and that I was 28, from a background in concrete, and learning on the job. But people were open-minded, and incredibly supportive.

“In January 2024, I officially became MD. By that point, the transition had already happened. It didn’t feel like a big moment because we’d done the work to make sure it was a smooth, natural step.

“My hope is that by sharing details of my journey into the timber industry, that other companies can look at what SCA did and see the potential: with the right person, the right training, and the right support, we can build a leadership pipeline that reflects the world we live in. Ultimately, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity I was given, and hope more companies are willing to do the same for others.”

For more information about SCA Products UK, visit: We are driven by the force of the forest – SCA